For much of my life I could not understand why everyone can not see the world the way I do. I saw the world through my own eyes, and the idea that others did not have the ability to see the same world, was inconceivable. And, still I struggle with this concept. I only know what I know, and work every day to try to open my mind to how others see this world. What has become clear to me is that so many people bring awareness of things that I am unable to grasp. And that when we each can honor the others gifts, then people can shine in a way that is clear to all who are in the presence of the moments that glimmer. When I would meet people who are not capable of having the same connection to an animal that I do, I used to try to convince them that they should see the way I do. Where I stand today, it is still a struggle, but I keep telling myself every day, that only I see through my eyes or mind. No one else. Watching others find their own path to connection is so very rewarding.

So, knowing that I would put myself out in the world to potential ridicule, or limit the willingness of others to listen to what I try to share, I never spoke the words that always were in the background of my mind. What I believe to be the truth, may to others seem to be too “out there” or not grounded enough in the tactile world for some to allow themselves to take my ideas to heart. And in the end I am an advocate for the horses, so I tread a very thin line of reaching human minds and wills in a way that brings an inspired life for the horses.

There was a time when I could not understand where my words came from when I was working with a rider. I used to think I was channeling some force I did not understand. I would watch, feel, speak, and watch some more as the horses changed under the riders. So many times I had no idea where the ideas and words came from. Years of watching, and listening, to the horses, to the humans, influenced my mind in directions that sought out synergy. To watch the results and/or be on a horse that becomes synergy with a rider is unmistakable. The opposite, something which I was unable to stand with, or take part in. Smoke and mirrors, marketing, or mechanical approaches to building a horse and rider combination are of no interest to me. I never question this ability to see, only am grateful for its gift.

It is a gift, I was born this way. And when I am in the presence of someone who “gets it” as well, it is always a celebration. There are those who connect with horses on a different level. We draw other like-minded people to us like magnets. Others have gifts I admire, better communicators with people, better with numbers, better socially, so many things I am not. I have accepted that the things I am not strong with, I can let others be strong for me. I can not be all things, and believe me I have tried. Only to be frustrated and exhausted. The other word in life that is important : Acceptance…Once you get it you are free to grow.

What I have come to understand at this point, is that I do not channel some great horse training spirit, that I channel the horse standing in front of me. That I shift into a place that is “in the now” where the horse lives. That I let go of needing to place meaning on the actions or reactions we share. It is not personal, it is pure survival based. Letting go of things being personal in life is the best skill I have ever opened the door to learning. Bringing it to my everyday life is my goal.

Here is your homework for life: practice letting go. Just be. Listen to your horse every moment. Remember they are not trying to cause stress for any reason that has to do with YOU. They are surviving, which includes not letting another creature put them in a possibly dangerous situation. Taking the blame out of riding will change your life. This does not mean letting your horse be pushy or challenging. It means remembering they do it to find their own peace, to make you be strong enough that they can feel safe enough to let down their guard and relax. The result will be a trust and partnership unlike anything you know. Then try to bring that spirit to your every day life.

What is my gift, what do I see? Their souls speak to me. I can feel their place of being, where they stand in the world. I can honor that place and bring them into my world, not with words, with peacefulness, respect, and trust. Words do not describe what a gift they bring me, and my life. One I will always honor.

]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2014/07/20/sunday-morning/feed/0Show Days…http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/28/show-days/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/28/show-days/#commentsMon, 28 Oct 2013 17:37:54 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/?p=339All the hard work, all the dedication, the frustration, and the hopes, come down to this event. It is a test of sorts. If you study for a math test for a month, the day that test arrives can be stressful. Looking at a horse show from the outside it is often easy to forget the purpose of such an unusual event. Dress up in clean clothes adorned with as much “bling” as you can cram onto every allowed article of clothing or leather. Spending hours achieving a spectacular shine on your horses coat, or perfecting the French braided tail. All to splash around in the rain and mud, covering your fabulous work with horse sweat and dirt. And then, kids and horses moving quietly around in a circle, while some mysterious person, who is revered with both awe and fear, decides if you pass the test. Unlike math there are no red checks on the part that was wrong. Imagine walking out of a math test with a grade at the top of the page and not having any marks on the rest of the work that indicates where you mastered the skills needed and where you fell short. Some children walk out of the test with a big colored ribbon, others are left empty-handed and wondering why they did not measure up.

The 4H venue that I spent last weekend coaching at is better than many at filling this gap. The classes that are judge on the riders skill refinement are awarded a second round of ribbons where everyone gets on. Not just the top 8 riders out f 20+. These second ribbons are coded in 3 colors, similar to getting the grade on the test. A red ribbon means you met the basic requirements asked for, a white means you did not, blue is those that exceeded or were exceptional. That being said the kids can get all white and someone will still be in first pace. I have yet to see that happen, but it is possible. And a third ribbon at play is the “high point”. Each of the 1-8 placing’s is awarded a certain number of points, with 1st place being more and 8th being less. At the end of the day the totals are tallied in each category of rider ( divided by age, and riding level) And The rider with the most points gets an award that is much larger than the rest.

To watch these kids you might think it silly that they work so hard for a piece of colored ribbon. But unlike your math grade, the ribbon will be paraded for all to see, and is awarded in font of family, friends, and all. It has a different sense of glory. Imagine what would happen if you were watching your child take every math test and be awarded a grade that everyone would see. A small percentage would bask in glory, some would accept an average title, some would drop out of school.

Part of my goal is to create perseverance in the face of defeat, and show them the path to success is not “shiny object” you can buy. I can put a child on the most highly trained horse, they can go out and win all the ribbons, but that does not make them riders. Only mastery of the subject will bring true success. And the feeling it leaves you with is beyond anything that a ribbon can bring. This is such a hard life lesson. And I am so humbled and proud to watch the group of athletes I coached, show growth, and maturity, and sportsmanship, and leadership, and teamwork. They help each other, they cheer for each other, they hold each other up through the tough moments, and they shine…

So I want to take a moment to share and honor these young athletes, and amazing humans.

Ciera, you are a leader, a role model, dedicated and strong and beautiful, not to mention High Point, and Reserve High Point queen. Your constant drive to know more, to know why, to challenge your self, and to share your talent and knowledge with our younger herd members who look at you with stars in their eyes. So well deserved.

Nicole, your quiet determination is unmatched. The loyalty and dedication to perfecting your craft with compassion and respect for the horses. I honor and respect you took a complicated path (Sammy) and have created a beautiful combination of horse and rider that brings compliments from all who are lucky enough to see you and your beautiful horse “dance”. Truly a beautiful thing to watch.

Kaitlin, A Bold and bright star that has risen this year. The tears and frustration are just growing, because they build character. And boy have you grown this year. You have what I call momentum….on ward and upward, the world is your oyster. Yet kind and sincere, an uncommon combination.

Jennifer, your commitment to seeing and knowing the how and why, and implementing it when you understand is such a joy to watch. I have seen you change the life of a pony, and now she understands as you do. Your sportsmanship, and supporting your friends and competitors, your work ethic, and always done with a smile, are a model to so many and don’t know it yet. You have such a bright future.

Sam, You bring the attitude of confidence and happiness to all you touch. What a gift! Tenacious and determined, you have the talent and drive. And will fly…Of that I have no doubt. Thank you for sharing your wonderful nature with me and the others, we all learn and pull from your strength.

Alex, My brave child. Everyone you touch loves you. Watching you grow and thrive is such a pleasure. She who can literally get backed into a corner and come out a winner. She who does not have a mean bone and is a perfect example of pure joy. Who makes me smile every day. ….And now the recipient of a ribbon almost as big as she.

Ava, I feed you a crumb and you bake bread! Amazing.

Our new members

Phoebe and Emily, welcome to the family. It has been so great to have sweet new faces in the mix. Our first venture together, and the first of so many great memories you are making.

]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/28/show-days/feed/0A different kind of music…http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/24/a-different-kind-of-music/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/24/a-different-kind-of-music/#commentsThu, 24 Oct 2013 17:44:36 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/?p=335Listening is an interesting concept when you are referring to a silent language. My horse speaks to me without words in a language that flows like a dance of energy and elegance. The delicate and subtle voices are sensitive to my breathing, my every internal shift of muscle holding, moving and releasing. My work is based on teaching people to listen. Which is not a simple thing in todays’ world. Life is so busy and fast, there are so many things pulling at us from all directions, it is so difficult to really be still and listen. The language of the horse is so subtle and refined that if we do not let go of the rest of life’s demands and stresses our senses will miss the conversation completely.

I am watching a student, going round and round, repeating the same aid over and over, with no response from the horse. It brought me to a conversation I had been having the night before. Between myself and a friend. I became acutely aware at one point that a question had been presented and I was staring into questioning eyes, with no Idea what had been said. I was not present in the conversation. My mind had wondered to faraway places, and although I nodded and without thought, gave silent signs of being in the conversation, I was absolutely not. Where does that leave this rider and horse…Where does the listening start…Who is responsible for the lack of connection or communication? Especially when the two do not speak the same language by nature. Or at least it may seem that way.

Have you been there at the other end of this conversation? Asking the question and suddenly realizing the person you were speaking to did not hear you? How does that leave you? What does this mean? Does it mean they don’t care about you? Does it mean you are not important? Should it mean anything? Will you respond to this person differently in the future? How often do you do that to your horse? How often does your horse do that to you? Ultimately who is responsible for the quality of your horses listening skills?

YOU are… If you are checked out how can they trust you? If you can let go of the rest of the world for the short time you are with your horse and be 100% in the conversation, it will change your world. If it changes your relationship with your horse, imagine what it could do for the rest of your interactions in life.

Is it possible that we humans do know this language without words? Is it possible that we use the same language every day without cognitive awareness? Did the person I was speaking to last evening know my mind was a million miles away? When you are in a conversation with someone who is not actually listening can you feel the difference? I believe you do. People may not know exactly what it is that leaves them feeling less or more connected, when having conversations, but they sense when that something is missing. So does your horse.

Riding is a conversation not a lecture. A conversation is like a dance, turning and flowing, with inflections and emotions interwoven in the words or movements. Ballet or ballroom dancing can leave you with a feeling or emotion without being attached to human language. It is movement, energy and emotion, in a constant ebb and flow that conveys so much more than mere words can ever come close to. Conversations take two parties that take turns listening and communicating in a way that, we hope, will end in mutual understanding and synergy. A lecture requires one communicator and at least one listener. Or one that is pretending to listen…

Are you lecturing to your horse? Do they have a voice, or are they allowed to have an opinion? Can the path to the desired result be discussed in a quiet calm manner? What is your horse telling you? Listening requires a form of mental stillness that does not come with opinions or expectations. If you listen without expectation you may hear something different from you thought your conversation was about. That means not trying to make your horse wrong. Horses are honest by nature, there is no wrong, there just is action and reaction. They do not think in complex or vindictive patterns, they do not want to get you, or get even for something. They do what is easier, or simpler, and that’s it. They have not goals or aspirations other than enjoying each moment to the best of their ability. They live in the now. They forgive instantly, even if they don’t forget.

Exercise: you ask for A your horse gives you B. Pay attention to how you asked, Pay attention to where you are in your body (tense, tired, stressed from your life) Let it go, stop ad breath for a minute, totally relax. Now try you request again in a softer aid, see how soft and small you can be. Remember your horse can feel a fly on one strand of hair. If I yelled in your ear every time I spoke how long would you be willing to listen? Consider always starting with a whisper (and I am speaking of the silent language of horse-your aids) but remember that if you have been yelling in their ears for a long time it may take a bit of time for them to reset their expectations. They may be tuning you out, like background noise. They just need to remember that there is a softer way to listen.

]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2013/10/24/a-different-kind-of-music/feed/0Shadyhttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/shady/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/shady/#commentsMon, 01 Oct 2012 19:30:37 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=128APHA mare 13 yrs, 14.2h Great walk trot beginner horse, shown in 4H. Yet enough skill for an intermediate rider.
]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/shady/feed/0Triggerhttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/triggerr/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/triggerr/#commentsMon, 01 Oct 2012 19:23:05 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=12211 yr QH gelding, 15.3 h Shown 4h Western, english, showmanship, trail. Nice boy, Beginner safe.
]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/triggerr/feed/0Cheershttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/cheers/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/cheers/#commentsMon, 01 Oct 2012 19:20:57 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=11818 yr QH gelding, very experienced show horse. Can teach you all of the moves! Showmanship machine, lead changes, bareback…Western and english
]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/cheers/feed/0Zippohttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/zippo/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/zippo/#commentsMon, 01 Oct 2012 19:20:10 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=11612 yr Aphc gelding, 15.3h He has shown dressage, 4h western pleasure, HUS, Showmanship, halter. Super fun gelding. Intermediate riders only.
]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/10/01/zippo/feed/0Life on the farmhttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/09/13/blog-entry/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/09/13/blog-entry/#commentsFri, 14 Sep 2012 00:34:06 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=91The sound of music drifting softly across the night air. I can hear the guitar clearly, the words are not my language but I can sense the spirit of the songs. Laughter, the smell of food cooking, and the ever-present sound of the horses in their stalls, munching hay, snorting, but all like me, enjoying the sounds of celebration. What a perfect life I live. It is a birthday dinner, for part of the team, the most crucial part. They take care of the daily operations of the farm. The horses are fed, watered, stalls cleaned, horses in and out of stalls. And they spend every day with a goal that is in harmony with mine. To make this farm a better place. And as much as I am grateful for the impeccable care they take of the animals, I am also acutely aware that the music and celebration is just as much a gift that they bring. They are a part of this place, as much as I am. The atmosphere is one of family… All inclusive, accepting, and supportive. It makes me smile inside.
]]>http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/09/13/blog-entry/feed/0Horses for leasehttp://www.graystonestable.com/2012/09/13/horses-for-lease/
http://www.graystonestable.com/2012/09/13/horses-for-lease/#commentsFri, 14 Sep 2012 00:14:52 +0000Lisa Ehttp://www.graystonestable.com/newSite/?p=76We offer partial leasing on some of our lesson horses to pre-approved students of Graystone Stables. All leasing is on a monthly fee basis and may be terminated at any time that a Graystone instructor deems the situation to be adversely effecting either horse or rider. Times and days will be pre scheduled.

Leasing options

$35 per ride practice rides, pre scheduled times.

$375 per month includes one private lesson per week and two practice rides per week.

$350 per month includes one group lesson per week and two practice rides per week.